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News. October, 2011
The Environmental Responsibility of Business was Discussed in Moscow
On October 19, 2011, a conference “Corporate Environmental Responsibility: Experience and Practice” was organized in Moscow by the journal Business and Society with support from Alcoa Company and PwC. The attendees – entrepreneurs, government officials, journalists, experts and staff of non-profit and public organizations – examined a whole range of issues related to environmental responsibility that is one of the three components of corporate social responsibility.
Business and Society chief editor Tatiana BACHINSKAYA, who opened the conference, pointed out that responsible companies take into account all the possible negative and positive impacts of their activity on society and environment. She called upon the participants to discuss such topics as environmental responsibility of businesses and interaction among businesses, government and NGOs in this field, describe environmental partnership projects and touch upon environmental security.
The two-year program Responsible Water Resources Management for Sustainable Development that is currently being managed by the Fund for Sustainable Development with support from Alcoa Foundation was presented at the conference.
Galina GRIGORYEVA, corporate social responsibility manager of Alcoa Russia, informed the audience about the new global program Alcoa Foundation Sustainability Research Innovative Partnerships for Actionable Solutions. The goal of this program is to contribute to addressing global challenges such as climate change, energy consumption, water management and accelerated development in emerging countries, which have the potential to impact our world for generations to come. Through academic and applied research, the program is seeking practical solutions to problems in regions of the company’s presence. This effort involves both company staff and local communities. Under the program, Alcoa divisions in many countries are managing projects in partnership with academic institutions and NGOs, tackling various aspects of sustainable development. In Australia, this is land resources management, in Brazil – mangrove forests conservation and in China – emissions reduction. The Russian division is dealing with sustainable water consumption. The Responsible Water Resources Management for Sustainable Development Program carried out in this country is aimed at proposing to federal, regional and local decision-makers new instruments and mechanisms of socially responsible water resources management; and increasing public awareness about these mechanisms. The program was developed and is being carried out by the Fund for Sustainable Development in partnership with the Institute of Water Issues (Moscow) and the Educational Center for Ecology and Safety (Samara) and with the participation of leading researchers from Moscow State University and Samara Technological University in the field of water resources management and industrial effluent treatment and heads and senior staff of environmental organizations and the administration of Samara Oblast. Galina Grigoryeva noted that the program will promote among citizens environmentally responsible attitudes to water as one of the key resources of our planet and will also give an additional impetus to local economic development based on innovative approaches to protecting and preserving water resources.
Elena BONDARCHUK, projects manager from the Fund for Sustainable Development, described the phases of the Responsible Water Resources Management for Sustainable Development Program. She stressed that the format of the program selected by the Fund and Alcoa Company will help increase awareness about environmental responsibility of businesses and government and devise actionable solutions in the sphere of water management.
